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Solar Remote Permitting & Inspection Best Practices: COVID-19 Impacts and Long-Term Potential
Please join MassCEC, MAPC, and SolSmart to learn about best practices on remote permitting and inspection during COVID-19, and the long-term potential of those practices. The webinar will feature guest speakers from three Massachusetts communities; Gardner, Brockton, and Lowell. If you have questions regarding registration, please contact solar@masscec.com.
Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7565282524044732684
Cities and towns are deploying a number of strategies to identify the spread of COVID-19 in their communities. One emerging method: testing sewage from households and buildings for the presence of the virus.
Knowing that COVID-19 is present in wastewater can be an important indicator of where its spread may be accelerating. In places where wastewater testing has been deployed, changes in the virus’ wastewater concentration have been observed several days before changes in reported new cases.
At this webinar, you will hear from experts on the science of wastewater testing for disease surveillance, as well as public health leaders who have deployed wastewater testing in their communities.
Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMod-2sqzgoH9aWTW1FkK9U1lS39EeXLn5x
Dr. Linda Shi, Assistant Professor at Cornell University, will be sharing her research on the vulnerability of municipal budgets in the Boston metropolitan area to climate change, as well as recommendations for how to develop in ways that promote equity, resilience, and fiscal responsibility. There will be time for questions from participants.
MAPC is offering grants of up to $5,000 for community organizations to participate and collaborate in the regional heat preparedness planning process.
Summer temperatures in the Northeast are increasing, along with extreme heat days and heat waves. At “From Snow Days to Heat Waves,” learn about the intersections of climate change, heat, and health in the Greater Boston area.
Speakers will highlight projects across the Greater Boston area addressing the issues of rising and extreme temperatures, public health, equity, and climate change via short presentations and a panel discussion. A full list of speakers will be announced soon.
Extreme heat is one of the deadliest weather events in the United States, and can exacerbate existing health conditions. And the effects aren’t experienced equally: the impacts of extreme heat are greater in low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods, where historic disinvestment has resulted in less access to green space, fewer street trees, and inadequate housing and cooling infrastructure. These impacts will likely be intensified as climate change causes temperatures to increase and humidity to rise.
This event is co-hosted by the Museum of Science, Boston; Mystic River Watershed Association; and Metropolitan Area Planning Council. The Metropolitan Mayors Coalition Climate Taskforce and Resilient Mystic Collaborative are co-sponsors.
The program is made possible with generous support from the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program.
Join to hear Jacqueline Patterson, Director of Environmental and Climate Justice Program at the NAACP, discuss the intersection of climate resiliency and racial justice.
As cities and towns experience more frequent and intense weather events due to climate change, the arts offer opportunities to support climate resilience efforts. Collaborations with artists and creatives can enhance resilience, transform infrastructure, and increase community awareness of preparedness practices and climate risks.
Please join us for a conversation with Sarah Rawbottam, Creative Producer at Arts House in Melbourne, Australia; and Erin Genia, former Boston Artist-in-Residence. They’ll discuss the role of the artist in addressing climate change and building resilience, their experiences building resilience through art, and their advice for working with artists.
You’ll also learn more about “Cool it with Art,” MAPC’s upcoming how-to guide for tackling rising temperatures with art in Massachusetts.
Please join us for this webinar to learn more about a new MAPC Section 3A decision-making support tool!
Background
In 2021, the Massachusetts Legislature added a new section to the state’s Zoning Act (MGL Chapter 40A) — MBTA Communities Multifamily Zoning Requirement (Section 3A) — that requires each municipality in the MBTA district to zone for by-right multifamily housing near transit stations or smart growth locations.
MAPC has developed an interactive MBTA Communities Multifamily Zoning Requirement (Section 3A) District Suitability Analysis Tool to help municipalities within the MAPC region identify locations for 3A zoning districts that also advance regional and local goals.
This Webinar
MAPC staff will provide an overview of the tool’s use and showcase how it may be applied, in tandem with stakeholder-driven processes, to facilitate conversations around areas suitable for new housing production.
Register to join us for this event
Questions? Please contact:
Emma Battaglia (ebattaglia@mapc.org)
Join us for the Community Safety Day on the Hill to learn how the Shannon Community Safety Initiative and the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative build partnerships between communities and law enforcement to prevent and address youth violence across Massachusetts.
This will be an opportunity to connect in-person to discuss the importance of annual state funding to support regional and multi-disciplinary youth programming to prevent gang violence.
Mark your calendars, and register to join us!
Questions? Please contact: Rosemary Volinski (rvolinski@mapc.org)